Walking Through Fire
by WhereAreMyMarbles
Summary: A fateful encounter turns a handsome young thief into something terrible. Over a hundred years later, the search for a new teacher sends a gifted young witch, Cierra, into the clutches of a temperamental dragon named Smaug. Will her gifts alone be enough to keep her alive, or will the dragon simply grow bored of her? Rated M for language in later chapters.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

The small town of Shirewood was quiet in the dark of the night. The once bustling town now stood abandoned. The houses lay in ruin, the buildings reduced to rubble, and ash covered the streets. No one dared set foot upon this place, even the insects kept their distance. However, if you listen closely, you can hear the faint sound of footsteps slowly making their way between the broken buildings.

One man, armed with a large empty sack over his right shoulder and a dagger on his left hip, peaked around a large piece of rubble. Upon noticing that there was no one in sight, he stepped out of the shadows. He was a beautiful man, there was no doubt about it. He was very tall, about 6 feet, and he was lean, but his body had a glimmer of muscle tone. His eyes were light greenish-yellow and they stood out in contrast to his dark, wavy hair that stopped just before his jawline. His face was strong, yet smooth, as if it had been chiseled from marble.

Why a man like that would be sneaking around, you ask? He is a thief, you see. Although, he would disagree. He would like to think of himself as a liberator of all things shiny. He keeps what he wants, then gives the rest to those who are less fortunate. Tonight, his hungry eyes were set on a much larger sting. Beyond this hopeless place, at the base of a mountain, lies a cave that is rumored to be filled with mounds of gold and jewels. How they got there was a mystery to him, but all he knew was that anyone who entered never came out. He was determined not to add himself to that list.

Once he reached the cave, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "My fortune awaits." He said as he reluctantly stepped into the darkness. He took out a lantern from his bag and lit it with a match. After what seemed like hours, the thief came upon a set of crumbling stone stairs that led deeper below ground. He descended further and raised his lantern towards a large, open doorway. As his foot met the next step, it crumbled underneath his weight and sent him tumbling the rest of the way down.

"Son of a bitch!" He exclaimed, once he reached the bottom. His lantern lay broken beside him. He reached up and felt something wet and sticky on the right side of his forehead. _Great, blood_, he thought to himself. Without his lantern, he believed that he would be encased in darkness. Instead, he was surprised that the room he fell into had a blue glow to it. The thief looked up and saw the moon shining brightly through a giant hole in the ceiling. It looked as though something fell through it or, perhaps, dug its way out.

He took a step forward, but when his boot touched the floor, jingling and clanging could be heard reverberating off the walls. The thief looked down and to his amazement, coins were strewn all over the place. Upon further inspection, he realized that he was standing on a pile of gold coins. Quickly, he swung the bag off of his shoulder and proceeded to scoop as much as he could, with his hands, into the bag. He traveled further into the chamber, grabbing coins and jewels as he went. A shadow passing overhead made him halt his advances and look up. Just then, a great gust of wind sent him tumbling backwards off the mound of treasures. His bag remained where it was, undisturbed by recent events.

A loud ROAR pierced through the night and echoed throughout the chamber. The thief covered his ears and squeezed his eyes shut, fearful that his eardrums might burst. The room shook violently and coins flew in opposite directions, some hitting him with force. When he opened his eyes, his jaw dropped and his eyes widened with fear. Standing before him, with its tattered wings spread wide, was a massive dragon! It snarled down at him with sharp, surprisingly white, teeth, a few of which were missing. The tendrils lining its back stood erect and its sharp claws were clenched angrily into the piles of coins. Several arrows were sticking out from between its brownish-gray scales, some of which were also missing here and there.

"How dare you steal from me, thief!" It roared in a deep, loud feminine voice. A wicked grin spread across its features as it spoke once more, "I must shed some light on this situation. I want to better look you in the eyes before I kill you." The dragon reared back and lifted her head. Her belly, her throat, and then her mouth began to glow a bright orange. The thief, wide-eyed in fear lunged for cover as the dragon unleashed her fiery fury upon the walls of the chamber, lighting large torches as she did so. Once every torch was lit, the thief looked up only to realize that he had landed in a pile of charred human bones. With a startled yelp, he sprang off the pile and glanced towards his only exit. His stomach churned when he saw that it was now blocked by a pile of rubble. With no other alternative, he gulped down some bile that was threatening to come out and grabbed his dagger, holding out shakily with his right hand. The dragon looked down upon him in anger and amusement.

"Really?" She sneered, "Do you honestly believe that you can defeat me with that toy? Hah!"

"P-please, honorable dragon," the thief stammered, "I didn't know these treasures belonged to you and -"

"And yet," she interrupted, narrowing her eyes at him, "you proceeded to steal it anyway."

"Please, I beg you, I meant no harm. My village, the people, they're starving and -"

"Do you think I care about your stupid village?" she interrupted him again and swung her long tail, flinging him across the room and knocking the dagger out of his hand. The force of the landing left him winded. The dragon crept closer and tilted her head so that her right eye was level with him. The close proximity made the thief back up as far as he could against the wall. "You humans will never learn. You think everything belongs to you. You and those cursed elves! You're all the same!" She spat.

"Please, your greatness, spare me and I will spread word across the land that this treasure is yours and yours alone! Please!" He pleaded while choking back tears, his hands grasped together in front of him as if to emphasize his plight.

"You seem to believe that flattery and begging will spare your life? Intriguing." The dragon backed up and turned her head to face him completely. She tilted her head to the side, as if contemplating something. Then, a grin replaced her once angry features and she spoke in an almost mocking tone, "My encounter with the elves has left me in a sour mood. However, I am willing to let you go." A relieved look appeared on the man's face.

"Thank you! Thank you!" He exclaimed, as he bowed his head.

"However," the dragon continued, "I cannot let you go as you are, oh no. You must learn what it is like to spend your life defending what is yours. Being hated for what you are." Before the man could react, the dragon snatched him up in her claws and slammed him down hard against a pile of coins, pinning him there. The thief let out a strangled cry and struggled beneath her weight, his once relieved features now held a look of pure terror. "You will spend the rest of your life…as a dragon!" She began chanting in a language unknown to the man, who tried desperately to break free.

"NO! PLEASE!" He screamed. The dragon reared back her head and as she brought it down, she bathed the man in orange and red flames. The man let out a blood curdling scream and the dragon released her grip on him. The man began writhing around like a serpent, unable to control his body's movements. The dragon looked on in amusement as the thief before her began to change form. The man brought his hands up in front of his face and watched in horror as they began changing into claws. His body began to stretch and grow. Scales were sprouting all over his person and his arms became wings. Once the transformation was complete, a massive reddish-gray dragon took the place of where the man once was. Tendrils lined his back and tail and smaller ones of varying sizes surrounded his head. His eyes were now a bright shade of yellow. His snout held a mouth full of razor sharp white teeth. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?!" He roared in a deep voice that he could hardly recognize as his.

The older female smiled, "Isn't it obvious? You are like me!"

"I will never be like you!" With the strength of his new body, he flung himself at the other dragon and pinned her down. "Change me back!"

"NEVER!" She roared, "As I said, you will live the rest of your life hated. No one will ever _willingly_ help you! You will spend the rest of your life wallowing in the riches of man. Your lust for gold will always be your downfall. You will love _nothing_ more!" With all her strength, she pushed the younger male off of her and slashed at him with one of her claws. He roared and dodged her attack. He swung his tail and sent her flying into a nearby wall. The force of her impact sent the rest of the ceiling crashing down upon them. The male spread his wings and, clumsily, began flying towards the opening in the ceiling, while trying to avoid being hit by chunks of debris along the way. He looked down at where he was and landed a few feet away from the mountain, miles away from the demolished town.

Just then, the female dragon burst free from her entombment and sent herself hurdling towards him. The younger male swiftly grabbed on to his assailant with both claws and dug them deep within her hide. She let out a pained roar and proceeded to bite him. He quickly threw her down and pinned her to the ground. He took both claws and pried open her mouth. "You should have killed me!" He hissed as he sent red and orange flames down her throat. He let her go and flung her charred carcass into the side of the mountain. He let out a loud roar that could be heard from miles away.

For over a hundred years, he flew from kingdom to kingdom, leaving death and destruction wherever he went. In each kingdom, he bathed himself in their riches until the humans would cast him out once more or he would hear of another kingdom that held greater riches than the last. The people came to call him Smaug, the bringer of fire and death. He didn't seem to mind that name, forgetting who he once was, forgetting how he was once a human. All he knew was an unquenchable urge to fill a hole in his heart. One that he believed could be filled with gold. The rest of the story is well known. He last took refuge within the confines of The Lonely Mountain, where he remained buried in the riches of the dwarves for over 60 years, undisturbed in his slumber. Until now.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, this is my first <strong>_**Hobbit**_** fic, so please go easy on me. I wanted to give Smaug a back story because I thought that it would be cool if he wasn't originally a dragon. I have never read the books, but I have seen the movies. As soon as the other chapters go up, you'll realize that I crossed over a few concepts from other genres that I think, hopefully, you guys will like. Comments and healthy critiques will help greatly. Thank you! Also, I am going through some health issues, so I apologize in advance if updates are slow.**


	2. Chapter 1

Hey guys, sorry this took a while to get out. Thank you for all the faves and kind comments. Although I am grateful that you guys are anxious for updates, as I have said many times before, I am going through health issues and I am working towards another college degree, which takes up most of my free time. Not only that, I refuse to upload a chapter that I am not completely satisfied with. I'd rather my chapters be late and reader-worthy, than rushed and choppy. So, please, before you decide to ask an author _**repeatedly**_, whether through comments or private messages, as to when a story will be updated, just remember that the author may have things going on in his/her life that requires their attention at that time. This was in no way meant to sound snarky and I apologize if it came out that way. My intent was not to offend anyone. It's just that I had 30 emails telling me to update! I know you all have been waiting patiently for this chapter, so let's get to it! :)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

_"Hello, can anyone hear me?" A girl called out as she walked through the streets of a large dreary town. Only her bare feet were not touching dirt roads or paved walkways, she was walking on what appeared to be sets of interconnected wooden piers. In fact, the whole town was suspended above water. She observed that its inhabitants were using boats to reach the places where the piers were absent. No one answered the girl; in fact, none of them seemed to acknowledge her existence. In the distance, was a tall, majestic mountain._

_ She found herself moving towards it, as if her feet were thinking for themselves. She felt herself gliding across the lake, until she was standing directly at the base of the mountain. When she turned back in the direction of the town, to her horror, she found that it was engulfed in flames. Even though she was so far away, the cries of fear and agony reverberated in her ears. She turned back towards the mountain, but she was no longer in front of it, she was inside of it! Her feet were touching something cold and smooth. The girl looked down and found that she was standing on a large pile of gold coins. Just then, the room grew dark and flames flew up around her, encircling her body. A deep, dark male voice spoke from behind her, "No one will take what is mine." As she turned to face the owner of the voice, her eyes grew wide and she screamed as a stream of red and orange flames shot towards her._

"Gah!" A girl exclaimed as she jolted from her bed and fell to the floor. "Oh, Gods be damned!" She said as she slowly sat up and rubbed her head. Strands of hair fell over her face as she removed her hand and lowered her head. A sudden knock on her door sent her head snapping up and into her nightstand. "Son of a bitch!" She exclaimed as she rubbed her head for a second time.

"Cierra, are you awake?" A meek male voice called from behind the door. "And I heard a crash. Are you alright?"

Cierra slowly stood up and sighed, "I'm awake. Everything is just…peachy."

"Splendid!" The man said, "Please get cleaned up. Gandalf will be arriving very soon."

"Yes, Uncle Raddy." She walked across her small room and just as she was about to enter her bathroom, the man, whom she referred to as 'Uncle Raddy,' addressed her once again.

"And Cierra, do watch your language." With that, 'Uncle Raddy,' chuckled to himself and walked off. Cierra rolled her eyes and stepped into her bathroom. It, too, was small. It contained a small wash basin, a toilet, and a tub. There was a small mirror hanging above the wash basin and a window on the other side of the room, which allowed the morning light to illuminate the space. She walked over to the mirror and inspected her sore head. Upon seeing no visible marks, she lowered her hand and stared at her reflection.

She had white hair that ended just a little over an inch below her chin, which appeared unkempt after her tumble. Her eyes were a bright shade of pink and they stood out in contrast to her pale skin and hair. She was Albino. You may be under the impression that she would be considered a freak to other humans. Although, there may be few who would consider her as such, many humans believed that Albinos, due to their ashen appearance, were blessed by the Moon Goddess herself and, therefore, were considered to be sacred. She was in no way sickly or ugly, in fact, she was quite beautiful.

Cierra sighed and walked towards the tub. She stood over it and waved her hand slowly above the rim. The tub instantly filled with warm, steamy water. She removed her night clothes and cast them aside. Then, carefully, she stepped into the tub and lowered herself down. She summoned a small bottle of shampoo and rubbed its contents into her hair. Then, she summoned another bottle and dumped it into the water. The water was instantly overcome with foamy bubbles. She smiled and leaned back against the tub. Her relaxation was short lived when she heard a knock at the front door. "Damn." She muttered to herself as she quickly washed all of the soap off and stepped out of the tub. She turned towards the tub and with a wave of her hand, the soapy water vanished, as if it were never there at all. She grabbed a towel and ran into her room.

"Ah, Gandalf, it is always good to see you, old friend." The man, known as 'Uncle Raddy,' greeted the old wizard and motioned for him to enter.

"Likewise, Radagast." Gandalf replied as he entered the house and removed his signature pointy hat. With one hand, he wiped away a few long stray, grey hairs that fell in his face. "Where is the birthday girl? Still sleeping in as usual?"

"Oh no, Gandalf." Radagast replied as they both looked towards the ceiling. Faint bumping and thumping could be heard from above. "By the sound of things, I would say she is preparing herself." They both chuckled and took a seat at the small dining table. Gandalf pulled out his pipe and began smoking. "Gandalf, please, put that thing out before you burn us all up!" Gandalf rolled his eyes and blew out a puff of smoke. Then, he did as he was told. "Now," Radagast began, "since we are still alone for the moment, we should discuss what to do with Cierra."

"What do you mean 'what to do with Cierra?'" Asked Gandalf. "Is she giving you trouble?"

"What?! No, no, no! She's the perfect student." Radagast replied. "In fact, that is why I have nothing left to teach her."

"Radagast…" Gandalf said suspiciously with one eyebrow raised. "You are not implying that I…"

"Exactly!"

"No."

"But why not? She has mastered the spells that even we have yet to master! She can cast spells without even uttering a word. It took us many years to master that, remember?" Radagast said as he leaned forward in his chair.

"Has she mastered her Earth spells?" Gandalf asked.

"Yes, but she has a strong dislike for insects." Radagast replied.

Gandalf chuckled, "Have you ever met anyone of the opposite sex who loved bugs?"

Radagast shook his head and smiled, "No, you are right. I have not."

"And what of her powers?" Gandalf asked as he, too, leaned forward. "Has she been able to control them?"

Radagast sat back in his chair and sighed, a worried look crossed his face. "Unfortunately, she is still too afraid to speak to the spirits. She has told me that some of the things she can see and hear frighten her." He bit his lip and looked down.

"Radagast, what aren't you telling me?" Gandalf narrowed his eyes as he studied the shorter Wizard sitting across from him.

"Well," he began, "she has been having strange nightmares lately. She would awaken in a fright. She wouldn't tell me about them and I was becoming concerned. So, one night, I performed the Dream Seer spell while she slept."

"You invaded her mind?" Gandalf asked, appalled.

"I know I shouldn't have, but like I said, I was concerned. But what I found has left me even more concerned."

"What did you find?" Gandalf was still upset with how his friend handled the situation, but was curious none-the-less.

"A great mountain. A town in flames. So much death." Radagast closed his eyes and shook his head as if to rid himself of the memory. Gandalf looked away. "Gandalf, you aren't thinking of doing what I think you are thinking of doing, are you?" Before the old Wizard could answer, loud, rapid thumping could be heard descending the rickety wooden staircase.

"Uncle Raddy," Cierra called, as she rounded the corner, "is that Master Gandalf?"

Gandalf eyed the girl. She wore her signature form-fitting green tunic that ended mid-thigh and a pink undershirt. She also wore brown capris and brown boots that ended just above her ankle. Her white hair was finally brushed and presentable with her bangs styled to the side. Gandalf smiled and said, "Well, how do I rate? You call him 'Uncle' and I 'Master'?" Cierra stopped smiling and her mouth hung slightly agape. Her bottom lip quivered nervously, like a fish out of water. Gandalf laughed and said, "Calm down, child. I am just pulling your leg." He motioned for her to take a seat. She sighed in relief and sat down. "Now, I have something for you." Gandalf handed her a long package, wrapped in brown cloth. Cierra unwrapped it and her eyes instantly grew large as she pulled a beautiful silver sword from its sheath.

"Oh…my…Master Gandalf, I love it!" She exclaimed.

Radagast was less than pleased. "Gandalf, she'll poke her eye out! Or mine!"

"Oh, calm your beard, Radagast. She is responsible enough to have one. I should know because I taught her." Gandalf said as he stroked his beard, seemingly satisfied with himself. "Not only that, she is eighteen, now." Radagast shook his head, knowing that he would only lose if he pushed any further.

"Master Gandalf," Cierra looked at the taller Wizard, "does this mean I will be training with you, again?"

The two older Wizards looked at each other. Gandalf looked back at her and replied, "Not as of yet. There are some friends of mine that require my assistance."

"Can I help at all?" She asked.

"No. It will be too dangerous. You are to remain here." He replied.

"Does it have to do with a mountain?" She asked.

Gandalf exchanged glances with Radagast before carefully replying, "We will be traveling across mountains, if that is what you mean."

Cierra shook her head. "No, I think you know exactly what I mean. I overheard the two of you."

"But how…" Radagast tried to talk, but was abruptly cut short.

She turned to him and cocked her head slightly, "Seriously? I know you use your animal friends to spy on me sometimes. So, I asked them to do the same." She stood up from the table. "And one more thing, I don't take too kindly to people probing around my head!" She sheathed her sword and stormed up to her room, slamming the door behind her. The two Wizards looked back at each other.

"Well," Gandalf began, "that went well." Radagast just shook his head. Gandalf stood up and brushed off his robes. "Well, I should take my leave. I must get to work now if the plan is to succeed." He walked to the door and turned to Radagast, "Good luck."

Radagast sighed and said, "I think I am going to need it."

Later that night, Radagast was becoming worried. The girl hadn't left her room for the rest of the day and never made a sound. Finally, gathering enough courage to face the angry teen, he ascended the stairs and knocked on her door. Nothing. He knocked again and softly called out, "Cierra, my I come in?" There was still no answer. The birds under his had chirped nervously. He lifted his hat slightly and said, "Now, now, calm down you three." He lowered his hat back upon his head and addressed the door once again, "Cierra, I'm coming in." He turned the doorknob and, slowly, opened the door. The room was dark and empty. With the snap of his fingers, the candles in the room lit up. He looked around until his eyes settled upon a piece of paper folded neatly on her bed. He picked it up and unfolded it. As he read it, he could feel his heart sink a little:

_Uncle Raddy,_

_If you are reading this, then you may have noticed that I have already left. I in no way left because of you. I left because I have to stop Master Gandalf from making a huge mistake that could cost people their lives. I am sorry that I overreacted earlier and I am sorry for leaving without saying goodbye, but I knew that you would never understand. You have always loved me like I was family and I hope that one day, you will forgive me._

_Love Always,_

_ Cierra_

Radagast sat down on the bed, his watery eyes fixed upon the note. "Oh, no."

* * *

><p>So, was it worth the wait? :) Does anyone remember in the Prologue, where the female dragon mentioned that she got in a fight with the elves? And how in the movie, Thranduil showed Thorin his scars that were caused by a dragon from the north? He never said which one. See what I did there? Wink, wink. (Damn, my wrists are freaking sore!)<p> 


	3. Chapter 2 - The Runaway

By nightfall, Cierra was miles away from her home in the Greenwood Forest. She looked back and saw that the walls of trees were nothing more than mere specks in the distance. She sighed and kept moving. Even though she was disappointed in herself for leaving 'Uncle Raddy' the way she did. However, Cierra knew that she could never forgive herself if she stood by and did nothing while innocent people suffered. She made her way towards a cluster of large rocks and proceeded to unpack for the night. She gathered a few sticks and leaves and sat them on a patch of bare earth. Then, Cierra snapped her fingers and a fire instantly shot up from the pile. She smiled and thought to herself, _Uncle Raddy would have a kitten if he saw me practicing with fire magic_.

Cierra rested herself against one of the rocks and closed her eyes. Sounds of crackling and popping filled her ears. She shrugged it off as being from the fire; that was until the sounds became louder. Her eyes shot open and she instinctively reached for her sword. Before Cierra could unsheathe it, she felt the sharp tip of a blade against her throat.

"I don't think so, Lass." Said a man with a gruff voice, "Drop it!" Cierra did as she was told. Another man stepped beside her and kicked her sword away. Then, he grabbed a fist full of her hair and she cried out in pain as he pulled her to her feet. Cierra was forced to look at the man, who was still holding his sword to her throat. He was only a head taller than her and slightly overweight. His clothes were well worn and consisted of a dirty white shirt, covered with a brown vest, brown pants, and dark brown boots.

"She's an odd specimen, isn't she boss?" said the man gripping Cierra's hair.

"She's albino, you dumbass. They're rare indeed." The boss said, as he licked his lips. "She'll fetch a fine price with the right buyer." They both exchanged laughs and the man holding Cierra turn her sharply, so that they were face-to-face. She found that he was much thinner than his boss, but his attire was similar.

"Tell me, love," said the man gripping her hair, "what's you're name?"

Cierra's mouth worked faster than her brain as she blurted out, "Fuck you, pervert!" An angry look overtook the man as he let go of her hair and backhanded her across her face. The force of the blow knocked her down to the ground. She put her hand to her lip and when she removed it, her fingers were covered in blood. Angry, she turned to face the man. With one swift, fluid motion, she extended her arm, palm out, and sent the man sailing backwards. The man's boss just stood there with is mouth agape, until he finally spoke, "S-she's a witch!"

The boss ran at her with his sword held high. She had nowhere to go and no time to react, so she closed her eyes and waited for the blow, but it never came. All Cierra heard was a loud metallic _clink_. She opened her eyes and saw a much smaller man with thick, long dark hair standing just beside her, his sword blocking the boss's strike.

"You know," he spoke in a soft rough voice, "it isn't polite to be attacking women." With that, he kicked the boss in the stomach, sending him backwards on his behind.

"Boss!" The other man yelled, as he drew his sword and ran at the stranger with his sword held high. The stranger blocked the blow and instantly sent one of his own, slashing at the man's midsection. The man screamed in pain as he backed up and grabbed his stomach. When he removed it, there was a large gash across his stomach with blood seeping out. Cierra glanced to the left, just behind the stranger. She instantly sprang to her feet and reached her hand out towards the fire, a flame instantly shot to her hand as she yelled, "Watch out!" The stranger looked to her and ducked as she sent a fireball at the boss. It connected with his chest and caught his shirt on fire. The boss yelled and started running around. Then, he took off his shirt and ran off, leaving his associate behind.

The stranger approached the bleeding man, pointed his sword at him, and said, "This time, I will let you live. However, if I see or hear of you and your friend attacking defenseless women again, I _will_ find you and I _will_ end you." He nodded for the man to leave and the man turned and ran as fast as he could in the direction of his boss. The stranger sheathed his sword. Then, he knelt down and picked up Cierra's sword. "I believe this is yours." He said as he handed the sword back to her.

"Thank you, sir." She said as she took her sword back and sheathed it. "How can I ever repay you?"

The man smiled and stepped a little closer. Cierra noticed that not only was he smaller than those two men, but he was also smaller than her! He wore the oddest chain mail armor that she had ever seen underneath his thick black fur coat with short sleeves. The chain mail continued down his arms until it met with equally dark gauntlets. His hair was dark, thick, and wavy with two small braids on each side, and he had a small, dark beard. "There is no need to repay me. Any man in their right mind would've done the same thing." He noticed that she was staring at him. He cocked his head slightly to the side and said, "Is something wrong, young lady?"

Cierra instantly snapped out of her stupor and replied, "No, no! Of course not! It's just…well, I've never met anyone quite like you. Oh! I mean, besides my uncle. Oh, Gods! I didn't mean it like that! I meant -…Ugh!" She put hands over her face to hide her embarrassment. The man smiled and let out a short laugh, "And I haven't met anyone quite like you either, my lady." He nodded his head towards her, "I must assume that you haven't seen many dwarves around these parts?" She blushed even more. Cierra tried quickly, and horribly, to change the subject. "You uh you look hungry." She blurted out, "Uh, please, allow me to make you something?"

The man smiled and nodded. They both sat down and Cierra, quickly, began removing items from her bag. She grabbed a piece of bread and spread some butter over it. Then, she grabbed some cheese and tomatoes and draped them over the bread. She put the other half of the bread on top of it and handed it to the man. "I'm sorry," she said, "I didn't bring meat. Unfortunately, my uncle is a vegetarian." The man smiled and graciously took the sandwich from her. Then she made a sandwich of her own and they both ate in silence. The man glanced over at her, "So, I take it your uncle taught you how to use magic?"

She swallowed and replied, "Yes, sir, he did. Although, he isn't really my uncle. It's just…well, he's like an uncle to me."

The man looked at her bags and asked, "Was he cruel to you?"

Cierra snapped her head quickly and looked at him with wide eyes, "Of course not!" She exclaimed, "Why would you say that?!"

He nodded towards her bags, "Well, it looks as though you are running away from home."

"I'm not running away!" She lied, "I'm just uh exploring."

"In other words, you _are_ running away?" He said with a lopsided grin.

"What! No! I'm meeting someone."

"First you're just 'exploring'. Now, you're meeting someone? Which is it?"

"Er…both."

"Both?" He questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"What's it to you?" she said, still flustered, "And besides, what were _you_ doing out here?"

"Saving your skin." He chuckled when he saw her face grow angry. Once he stopped, his tone became more serious, "If you must know, I am meeting with a few of my kin. That is all I can say on the matter." Cierra mouthed an 'Oh' and took another bite of her sandwich. "So," the man said in an almost mocking tone, "Who are you going to meet?"

Cierra thought of something quickly, "A boy."

"Oh, do tell."

She continued to lie, "We fell in love. He said if I truly loved him, then we would meet near some town on a lake or something. I forgot the name."

The man's look became serious as he asked, "Lake Town?"

"Oh, yes! Thank you. I believe that's what it was called."

"You mustn't go there." He said in a very serious tone.

"And why not?" She asked.

"Because," he began, "a dragon has lived deep within the mountain near the town for nearly sixty years. It could awaken at any moment."

"A dragon?!" She said in amazement, "I've read stories of dragons. How do you know it's even still alive after all this time?"

"I don't. You may have read fairytales about how knights rescue princesses from dragons. However, this is no fairytale. I suggest you seriously consider whether or not this 'boy' is worth your life." They both exchanged looks, his being more serious. Then he turned away and ate the last of his sandwich. When she was finished, he moved away from her and said, "We should get some rest."

"You're staying?" she asked, "You don't have to if you don't want to."

"Nonsense," he said, "I will stay and keep watch for a while, just in case those idiots decide to return."

She looked at him in amazement, "T-thank you, sir."

"No need to thank me. Just get some rest. The morning has a way of sneaking up on you."

She nodded and pulled out her blankets. She noticed that the man did the same. She made her 'bed' and pulled the blanket over her. "Goodnight." She said.

"Goodnight" he replied.

* * *

><p>The man was right, it seemed as if only a few hours had passed before the sun began to rise over the horizon. She groggily opened her eyes and groaned. Her eyes shot open when the smell of food being cooked filled her nostrils. She shot up and looked around, until she saw her hero from last night cooking eggs and some other thing that she had never seen before. "What is that?" She asked as she pointed at the long, thin strips of meat in the pan.<p>

He looked at her in surprise until he remembered that she had never eaten meat before. "This," he pointed to the strips, "is bacon. Pig meat." He put some eggs and bacon on a plate and handed it to her, along with a fork. She took them both and watched as he ate his own breakfast. She picked up a strip of bacon and stared at it. Then, she looked to the man, who put a strip to his mouth and bit down on it. She looked back to the meat in her hand and did the same. "Wow!" She exclaimed, "This is amazing! My uncle would kill me for this!"

The man, smiled at her and they continued to eat. When they were finished, she helped him clean up. Then, they both packed up their things. He walked over to his pony that Cierra hadn't noticed was there, most likely due to the events that took place the night before, and tied his bags to the saddle. She walked over to him and said, "Please forgive me, I forgot to give you my name. I'm Cierra. I don't think you told me your name either." She extended her hand and he extended his and they shook hands. After mounting his pony, he turned to her and said, "It was a pleasure meeting you, Cierra. I am Thorin. Thorin Oakenshield." With that, he nodded and knocked his feet twice into the side of the pony, urging it into a sprint. _Thorin_, she thought as he rode out of sight, _I have a feeling that we will meet again, someday_.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry this took so long to get out. Life got in the way. Now that I have graduated again, job hunting and story writing will take up most of my time. I hope you've enjoyed what I've posted so far. :)<strong>


End file.
